Inside Out Two Miles Away
by TonyDTonyD
Summary: Sequel to Parenthood. More Tiva this time in later chapters.


"I'll see you later tonight, okay Soph?" Tony headed out the door of their messy apartment. It was 06:55, and he was seriously late for work. Gibbs was gonna kick butt. "Don't let them stuff your head down the toilet," he added with a sly grin on his face.

Sophie DiNozzo shook her head, laughing. "Thanks, Dad." Today was her first day at her new school, just two blocks from her new house. It had been two months since the day her father kidnapped her, demanded one million in ransom and killed her own mother, and after weeks of counselling she was finally getting back to her usual routine.

Tony was being wonderful to her. They had set up the spare bedroom for her, which ended uncomfortable nights on the couch. And he gave her his email, work, and mobile number in case she needed to talk.

So Sophie was in a good mood when she left for her first day at Washington Day School. Everything seemed to be working out; it was the first good day she'd had in a long time. She was still deeply upset about her mother's death though, which still haunted her in her sleep sometimes.

Once she was ready, she left the house, locking the door behind her. She took the elevator to the ground floor and walked out to a beautiful sunny morning. But at once she got a sensation, a sensation that made her feel as if something just wasn't right. This feeling stayed with her as she took off down the street. It was as if...someone was watching her every move.

_Stop that_, she told herself. _It must be first-day-of-school butterflies. Or something like that._

But the feeling wouldn't go away, even when she realised she wasn't nervous at all about school.

Sophie crossed the road and paused to check behind her. "Hey, watch it!" an irritated-looking businessman carrying a briefcase had bumped into her from behind.

"I-I..um, sorry," Sophie stammered. The guy straightened his tie and walked off in a huff.

She continued on her way to school, with the feeling still on her back. And that wasn't the only thing on it, either. After only a mere two steps, she was grabbed from behind and pushed into a smelly bin area behind a small coffee shop. She tried to scream out for help, but her attacker had thought ahead and clamped his hand over her mouth. It was a moment or two before he let go and spun her around, and when he did, Sophie was ready to pass out. His face was unshaven and his hair dirty, but she still recognised him. It was Steve.

"Oh, my God!" she cried. And with one swift momement, she slapped him hard on the cheek.

"Hey!" Steve growled and grabbed her again.

"You bastard!" she yelled at him. "First you kidnap me and beat me to a pulp, then you kill my own mother and...wait. You committed suicide, didn't you? The cops! They found your body on the street in a pool of blood. Why the hell are you alive?"

"Sophie, there is so much I have to tell you," Steve said. "Gimme your phone."

"What?" She was confused.

"Your phone!" he glared at her. "Now!"

Sophie glared right back, but felt like a small animal backed into a corner. She decided then and there it was best to fully cooperate with him in order to get away. So she reached into her bag and handed him her Motorola.

He opened it up and called someone. "Yeah, hi," he said. "My daughter Sophie has decided she needs another day before she begins school again. So she wont be attending. Yeah. Yeah...ok. Tony Dinozzo. That's D-I-N-O-Z-Z-O. Thanks." He hung up and stuffed the phone into his pocket. "Don't want them to get suspicious and call Tony, now do we?" he asked her. "No...you wont be going to school today. I've waited two months for this."

"And what is, exactly, this?" Sophie asked.

Steve grabbed an empty milk crate and set it upside-down. "Sit down," he said. "This may take awhile."

She sat. "First of all, I want you to know that I did NOT kill Lee. And I never ment to hit you that day...I'd had too much to drink, you know? I was just so..._angry_ with your mother. I mean, who wouldn't be? She pretended you were mine. For fifteen long years, I had no idea that you weren't mine." He stared at her like some crazy man. "But that doesn't matter! Just because we're not related by blood. I mean, I've known you for your whole life and Tony? Just two months. Remember when I used to take you on picnics with all your dolls when you were six? And when I was there for you when you won gold at your swim meet at 10. Your mother wasn't. She was away with the Navy, just like she always was."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I want a fresh start, Soph!" he looked at her eagerly. "We'll move someplace quiet. The country. Forget about Tony. Tony works long hours, I wont. I'll be there for you more."

"Tony IS here for me!" Sophie said angrily. "Even when he's at work, he always makes time for me if I need him."

"But you _don't_ need him!" Steve said. "You have me." He reached out and touched her on the arm. It sent a tingle down her spine. She recognised his touch, it was almost warming to her. Almost.

"I don't believe you," she said bluntly. "You killed my mother. I know it."

"Well, you thought I committed suicide," he said. "And I'm here."

"Who was it that died, then?" Sophie had to ask.

"The person who killed your mother," he said. "I don't know his name but I've seen him before, he used to work with your mom in the Navy."

"They said it was you!" She still didn't believe him.

"They said it was me to make you feel safer!" Steve cried. "But it's rubbish, I would never hurt you, you know that!"  
"It didn't stop you before!" Sophie glared at him and lifted up her shirt to show him the damage he caused was still there after eight weeks.

"Oh...oh, God," Steve appeared to be shocked. Was he being sincere? Sophie couldn't tell. "Baby, I promise, I'll never do that to you again. I _promise._"

She sighed. "Where have you been the past two months?"

"Hiding out. Trying to get some money, to start over. It took me weeks to find you, Soph," Steve said.

"Wait. What? So you know where me and Tony live and everything?"

"Yeah!" Steve grinned. "It took me forever." Then he grew serious once again. "But you can't tell Tony, you can't tell anybody I'm here. Everyone thinks I'm dead and I want it to stay that way."

Sophie shifted uncomfortably on the hard milk crate. "What's Tony gonna think when I just disappear of the face of the Earth? Did you think about that?"

"We'll worry bout that later. I haven't figured out ALL the details yet. Can't we just spend some time together for now?"

And before she could protest, or think of some lame excuse, he pulled her up off her feet. "I'll take you to my joint," he said excitedly. "It's my new girlfriend's house."

"New _girlfriend_?" asked Sophie as he pulled her down a deserted alleyway, through two scabby-looking streets, away from the city and the main roads.

"Yeah!" Steve replied. "Name's Mona." He paused. "She's a babe..."

About five minutes later they reached their destination: an old, run-down brick house similar to all the other houses on the street. Instead of a garden, the grass was brown and weeds were scattered everywhere. All the windows were dirty and smudged, except for one, which Sophie couldn't help noticing was boarded up with wood.

Mona met them at the door in a cloud of cigarette smoke. She was wearing an old brown pair of shorts, and an orange singlet that clashed horribly together. She glanced at Sophie. "Who's that?" she asked Steve bluntly.

"Uhh, _my daughter,_ remember Mona?" Steve frowned. Mona glared at them both and flounced back inside.

"Don't mind her," Steve put his hand on her shoulder, which left her tingling again.


End file.
